Days with Sir Roger De CoverleySteele, Richard, Sir
General
Days with Sir Roger De Coverley
Steele, Richard, Sir
English essays
The court was sat before Sir Roger came; but notwithstanding all the
justices had taken their places upon the bench, they made room for the
old Knight at the head of them; who for his reputation in the country
took occasion to whisper in the judge's ear, that he was glad his
lordship had met with so much good weather in his circuit. I was
listening to the proceeding of the court with much attention, and
infinitely pleased with that great appearance and solemnity which so
properly accompanies such a publick administration of our laws; when,
after about an hour's sitting, I observed to my great surprise, in the
midst of a trial, that my friend Sir Roger was getting up to speak. I
was in some pain for him, till I found he had acquitted himself of two
or three sentences with a look of much business and great intrepidity.
Upon his first rising the court was hushed, and a general whisper ran
among the country people that Sir Roger was UP. The speech he made was
so little to the purpose, that I shall not trouble my readers with an
account of it; and I believe was not so much designed by the Knight
himself to inform the court, as to give him a figure in my eye, and keep
up his credit in the country.
I was highly delighted, when the court rose, to see the gentlemen of
the country gathering about my old friend, and striving who should
compliment him most; at the same time that the ordinary people gazed
upon him at a distance, not a little admiring his courage, that was not
afraid to speak to the judge.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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